Ron Howard to Make Doc About Town Devastated by Wildfires

Howard said he has relatives in the area and was drawn to the universal human experience of the tragedy

By Lindsey Bahr •Published January 24, 2019•Updated on January 24, 2019 at 8:03 pm

Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for National Geographic

Director Ron Howard is planning to make a documentary about a Northern California town's attempt to rebuild after a devastating wildfire last year

National Geographic Documentary Films announced the project Thursday which will focus on the Sierra Nevada foothills town of Paradise, California. In November of 2018, flames destroyed nearly 15,000 homes and displaced over 50,000 people. Its working title is "Rebuilding Paradise."

Howard said he has relatives in the area and was drawn to the universal human experience of the tragedy. The film will follow the residents of Paradise, first responders and volunteers helping to rebuild the town over the course of a year.